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JR's Blog: Dave Meltzer on new, Ross Report, Orlando Thoughts, RINGSIDE Show to @ZaniesRosemont & Tickets on Sale Saturday, Undertaker

Posted: Apr 5th 2017 By: Jim Ross

Greetings everyone and thanks for the visit. A new Ross Report drops in a few hours with @davemeltzerWON talking all things Wrestlemania week and much more. Please subscribe at @iTunes and take a minute to leave us all important feedback and a 5 star rating. This is a strong show loaded with infotainment. As always, I really appreciate your support for downloading our free show when it drops Tuesday night at 9 PM ET. Subscribe for free at iTunes and never miss a show as they will be automatically downloaded into the device of your choice. Thanks!

Happy to get home from 5 nights in Orlando from all the Wrestlemania activities including at the amazing @WrestleCon event, our two RINGSIDE Shows, and, of course, my opportunity help broadcast Undertaker's apparent, last match of his amazing career. This was a memorable trip for me personally and professionally and the only thing that was missing was my wife Jan not being there to enjoy it with me.

Jan was actually there in spirit or so I felt while broadcasting Taker vs Reigns.

I was so moved that Undertaker and Vince McMahon both felt that it was the right opportunity for me to add my voice to what is expected to be The Deadman's last match of his illustrious career. I've never received a more memorable honor than being a part of this presentation and that includes any of the three, Halls of Fame that I am honored to be a member. After Jan;s untimely and unnecessary death. I needed to surround myself with 'family' and WWE made sure that happened Sunday night.

Mark Calaway aka The Undertaker is what all pro wrestlers should aspire to be as he possesses the most valued trait that any talent can have, IMO, and that is.....reliability. Taker was the unofficial 'Captain" of the WWE locker room back in the day and his leadership and professionalism was a major reason for WWE's success in the pivotal Attitude Era of the company.

Has Taker indeed retired? It seems that way to me and he has more surgery scheduled to repair his hip but if had to make an uneducated guess I'd say the legend was done as a active wrestler and to think that I was honored to help broadcast his last one was, again, humbling.

We had two, successful RINGSIDE Shows at Plaza Live in Orlando Saturday and Sunday. Fans from around the world joined us for two, great events. My personal thanks to all our guests, those advertised and the surprises, including Jeff and Karen Jarrett, author Paul O'Brien, Tony Schiavone, Bruce Prichard, Jim Cornette and the great, Mick Foley who surprised us on Sunday. Jeremy Borash was tremendous as our MC and we hope to work with JB again in NOLA next year, if not before.

I received just what I needed with my Orlando trip and that was plenty of hugs and well wishes from fans from all over the world, old friends and my unofficial 'family' of which I will always be grateful. I think just about every female on the WWE roster gave me a hug...not a bad deal, right?

For those asking, I will continue to broadcast NJPW for AXSTV through the end of my contract with them. I've come to look at the folks at AXS as family and working with them has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career.

Raw/Orlando thoughts...

As predicted the fans in the Amway Center Monday night were in full voice and made sure that they had a fun time and they impacted the broadcast as expected. I love their passion and look forward to this show each year and I expect SDLIVE to be similar Tuesday night.

Nonetheless, an argument can be made that the 'fan takeover' of these post, Mania events can at times be distracting and borderline obnoxious.

The Hardy Boys, in their established, WWE personas continue to get strong, positive reactions. Happy for Matt and Jeff that they can come home at this stage of their careers.

Underwhelmed at how the live audience responded to the Neville-Ali match. Not fair to the talents IMO.

Kurt Angle as the new, RAW GM is a smart booking. The 2017 HOFER will be a big time 'get' for the RAW brand. I think that it also sets in motion, if desired, for a retirement match with Kurt vs some lucky talent would be a great attraction in NOLA for WM34.

Big fan of Dawson and Wilder aka Revival and am happy to see them on RAW. Two, good pros who have more than earned this opportunity on the flagship broadcast.

Interesting 'futureing' for Lesnar-Strowman confrontation. Nice tease for down the road. I have high expectations for Braun Strowman as you know if you read our blogs and listen to the Ross Report. Lesnar along with Paul Heyman will add a unique marketing and promotional opportunity for WWE and the Universal Title.

Enjoyed the main event that closed the three hour show as I'm a fan of all the men involved in the tag match. Great to see Finn Balor back in the ring and the fact that Owens, Joe and Rollins were all in the desirable, show closing segment encourages me.

Tickets for our next RINGSIDE Show which will be at Zanies in Rosemont, Illinois go on sale this Saturday morning at 10 am CT at www.ticketfly.com. Our show will be Sunday afternoon May 21 at 2 pm which is a few hours before WWE's Backlash event at the All State Arena which is only 3 miles from the arena. We will have only 50 VIP tickets available and that ticket gets you the meet/greet. photo op, and autograph session that will start at noon. Again, the show time is 2 pm and will end by approximately 3:30 to give all plenty of time to make Backlash.

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I hope that you will subscribe to The Ross Report podcast on iTunes and take a minute or so to leave feedback at iTunes and a five start rating for our show. The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer is a powerful guest on this week's show. Thanks for the support.

Coming home for the first time in almost 25 years without my Jan being here wasn't and isn't easy as an empty home gets lonely to borrow from an Eagles' lyric. Thanks to many of you I know that I'm not alone.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ